Vacuum attachment for collecting running water

ABSTRACT

A vacuum attachment for collecting running liquid in tight spaces may include a tray having a bottom surface, sidewalls extending upward from the bottom surface, and a top surface spaced from the bottom surface; at least one drainage orifice extending through the top surface; a liquid containment area positioned between the top surface and the bottom surface; and a nozzle extending from the tray. The nozzle may be in fluid communication with the liquid containment area, and it may be designed to removably engage with an existing vacuum hose. The tray may be a thin tray and, thus, the sidewalls may have a height of less than about 2 inches.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 63/282,554 filed on Nov. 23, 2021, the entire contents of which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The embodiments described herein relate generally to vacuum attachments and, more particularly, to a vacuum attachment for collecting running water.

Working in areas where liquids accumulates on the floor or carpet is not ideal. Conventionally, in tight spaces, such as in HVAC and plumbing situations where a pipe or leak is close to the floor or in a small area, a shallow or thin catch pan may be used in an attempt to collect the draining or running water. However, these thin pans quickly overfill and spill or become difficult to move without spilling.

Therefore, what is needed is a device that can collect and dispose of running water or other liquids in tight spaces.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a vacuum attachment for collecting running liquid in tight spaces. The vacuum attachment may include a tray having a bottom surface, sidewalls extending upward from the bottom surface, and a top surface spaced from the bottom surface; at least one drainage orifice extending through the top surface; a liquid containment area positioned between the top surface and the bottom surface; and a nozzle extending from the tray. The nozzle may be in fluid communication with the liquid containment area, and it may be designed to removably engage with an existing vacuum hose. The tray may be a thin tray and, thus, the sidewalls may have a height of less than about 2 inches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals represent corresponding parts of the figures.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, shown in use.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of the invention, numerous details, examples, and embodiments of the invention are described. However, it will be clear and apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth and that the invention can be adapted for any of several applications.

The device of the present disclosure may be used as a vacuum attachment for collecting running water and may comprise the following elements. This list of possible constituent elements is intended to be exemplary only, and it is not intended that this list be used to limit the device of the present application to just these elements. Persons having ordinary skill in the art relevant to the present disclosure may understand there to be equivalent elements that may be substituted within the present disclosure without changing the essential function or operation of the device.

The various elements of the present disclosure may be related in the following exemplary fashion. It is not intended to limit the scope or nature of the relationships between the various elements, and the following examples are presented as illustrative examples only.

By way of example, and referring to FIGS. 1-7 , some embodiments of the present disclosure include a vacuum attachment 10 for collecting running water. The vacuum attachment may comprise a tray with side walls and a top surface, the top surface including at least one drainage orifice extending therethrough, a liquid containment area positioned between the top surface and a bottom surface of the tray, and a nozzle extending from the tray, such that the nozzle is in fluid communication with the liquid containment area, wherein a height of the tray is less than about 2 inches.

More specifically, and as shown in FIGS. 1-4 , some embodiments of the vacuum attachment 10 may comprise an attachment body comprising a thin tray 12 with outer sidewalls 12A, a top surface having a funnel-like design extending from an area proximate to the upper edge of each sidewall and angling down toward a central opening 16, a bottom surface attached to the top surface via a partition 14 a, wherein a space between the top surface and the bottom surface defines a liquid containment area, and a nozzle 18 extending from the tray 12, the nozzle 18 configured to operatively attach the liquid containment area to a vacuum hose 20A. As shown in the Figures, the nozzle 18 may extend from an angled collector 18A that is in fluid communication with the liquid containment area. During use of the vacuum attachment 10, water or other liquids may be directed toward the central opening 14 to the nozzle 18, which may ultimately extend upward from the bottom surface at a sight angle.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1-4 , the top surface of the tray 12 may comprise a plurality of sloping surfaces 16 that together create the top surface with the funnel-like design. Each of the sloping surface 16 may extend from a top portion of a sidewall 12A to the central opening 14 at a downward angle.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , an alternate vacuum attachment 30 may comprise a thin tray with outer sidewalls and a substantially planar top surface with a plurality of orifices 32 extending therethrough, wherein the top surface may be suspended slightly below an upper edge of the sidewalls but still spaced from a bottom surface of the tray. As such, slight pooling of a liquid on the top surface before the liquid flows downward through the top surface may not cause spillage. As shown in FIG. 7 the alternate vacuum attachment 30 may comprise a plurality of collection chambers 34, each designed to collect the liquid, wherein each of the plurality of collection chambers 34 may be in fluid communication with the nozzle 18.

While not shown in the Figures, embodiments of the attachment device may further comprise a screen or other mesh filtering material placed over the central opening or the plurality of orifices. Including such screen may prevent clogging of the vacuum attachment.

Additional optional features that may be added to the vacuum attachment include lights, which may be beneficial when the attachment is being used in dark areas, and a switch operatively attached to the vacuum, wherein the switch may be activated by liquid falling into the attachment device, thus powering on the vacuum.

The vacuum attachment of the present disclosure may be made of any suitable or desired materials and, in some embodiments, may comprise a high temperature fiberglass, reinforced plastic, or any other type of rigid plastic. The vacuum attachment may have any desired overall shape or dimensions and, in some embodiments, the attachment body may be substantially square shaped, as shown in the Figures. However, the vacuum attachment is not limited to such shape. While the vacuum attachment may have varying dimensions to account for a varying overall shape, in embodiments, the sidewalls may have a height of from about 0.25 to about 1.5 inches. A particular embodiment of the tray may include sidewalls with a height of about 0.5 inches, allowing the vacuum attachment of the present disclosure to be used in very tight spaces. Additionally, as shown in the Figures, the nozzle 18 may have a substantially cylindrical free end and may be sized to engage with any standard or existing vacuum hose 20A.

As shown, for example, in FIG. 5 , to use the vacuum attachment of the present disclosure, a user may first attach the nozzle 18 to a vacuum hose 20A extending from a vacuum receptacle 20B. The vacuum attachment may be placed in a position to allow the running liquid to flow onto the top surface thereof. The vacuum may then be turned on, causing the liquid to be caught by the attachment device and directed into the vacuum through the nozzle 18.

The above-described embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation. While these embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details, but rather is to be defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A vacuum attachment for collecting running liquid in tight spaces, the vacuum attachment comprising: a tray comprising a bottom surface, sidewalls extending upward from the bottom surface, and a top surface spaced from the bottom surface forming a liquid containment area therebetween; at least one drainage orifice extending through the top surface; and a nozzle extending from the tray, wherein: the nozzle is in fluid communication with the liquid containment area.
 2. The vacuum attachment of claim 1, wherein the nozzle extends from the tray at an upward angle.
 3. The vacuum attachment of claim 1, further comprising a screen positioned over the at least one drainage orifice.
 4. The vacuum attachment of claim 1, wherein a height of the sidewalls is less than about 2 inches.
 5. A vacuum attachment for collecting running liquid in tight spaces, the vacuum attachment comprising: an attachment body comprising: a tray with an angled top surface designed to collect the liquid; at least one drainage orifice extending through a central region of the angled top surface; a bottom surface attached to the top surface via a partition, wherein a space between the angled top surface and the bottom surface defines a liquid containment area; and a nozzle extending from the tray, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the liquid containment area and the nozzle being configured to engage with a vacuum hose.
 6. The vacuum attachment of claim 5, wherein the angled top surface comprises a plurality of sloping surfaces attached to one another to create a funnel-like top surface.
 7. The vacuum attachment of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of sloping surfaces extends from a top portion of a respective sidewall at a downward angle toward the at least one drainage orifice.
 8. A vacuum attachment for collecting running liquid in tight spaces, the vacuum attachment comprising: an attachment body comprising: a tray with a bottom surface, sidewalls extending upward from the bottom surface, and a planar top surface suspended between the sidewalls below a top edge of the sidewalls; and at least one drainage orifice extending through the planar top surface; wherein a space between the planar top surface and the bottom surface comprises a plurality of collection chambers; and a nozzle extending from the tray, the nozzle being in fluid communication with each of the plurality of collection chambers and the nozzle being configured to engage with a vacuum hose.
 9. The vacuum attachment of claim 8, wherein the planar top surface comprises a plurality of drainage orifices extending therethrough. 